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New Release Review! THE RISK by Elle Kennedy (Briar U #2)

The Risk cover

A sexy standalone novel from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy. THE RISK takes you back to the world of hot hockey players, feisty heroines, bro banter, and steamy scenes… 

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

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Review:

Loved!

I can’t even tell you how many times I laughed out loud while reading this! Brenna is all kinds of snarky–in absolutely the best way–and the banter she shares with her friends (and father, eventually) and with Jake are both funny and true-to-life. 

Be careful when taking a drink while reading this one, is all I’m saying. There’s hidde humor traps everywhere… 😉

Besides the LOL-times, Ms. Kennedy really ramps up the chemistry here–Jake and Brenna’s is off-the-charts hot. Their places on opposite sides of the Division 1 hockey world serves to ratchet up the drama, and combine all of that with sexy good times and a smattering of hockey play-by-play and this one is a definite winner.

The Risk is the second in the series, but worked just fine as a standalone. You’d better believe I’m going back to read book one ( The Chase ) ASAP, though–I’ve got to have something to occupy my time until book three ( The Play ) comes out, after all…

(And OMG, I just realized why Ryan Wesley sounded so familiar in Brenna’s throw-away comment in chapter 38–clearly, it’s been too long! Must re-read that series too :))

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

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